The Irish standard., 1887-12-31
YACHTING ON LAND.
nueer Vessels That Sail On Sand at an
Astonish ny Speeu.

nueer Vessels That Sail On Sand at an
Astonish ns Speet.
The sport of yachting, in the ordi-
nary sense of the term, dates back to
the commencement of the fifteenth
century, and the force of the wind has
been utilized for assisting the propul-
yion of carriages in Eastern countries
from time immemorial; but the use OF
swift-sailing vehicles, capable Of being
maneuvered like ships at sea, and de-
voted entirely to pleasure purposes, is
quite modern departure. Southport
Il the locality par excellence for sand
yachting. the great stretches of firm,
smooth sand along this part of the
Lancashire coast affording ample
.'sea' room for the evoiutions of these
singular and somewhat ghostly-look-
Ing craft.
The sand yacht is simple III con-
struction, consisting essentially of a
long, narrow body, with seats along
the sides for passengers, mounted on
four wooden wheels. The back wheels
of sand yacht serve exactly the same
purpose as the rudder OF boat The
wheels are strongly built. with wide
treads to prevent their sinking in the
sand when passing over soft places,
and arc covered with splash boards in
the usual manner. The yachts are Of
different sizes, some being able to
accommodate about twenty people,
thougi, they rarely carry 80 many.
The smaller craft ara cutter-rigged,
with large nlainsail and jbsail
stretched from the point OF {: bow
spirit some six feet long, projecting
from the front axle,
The larger yachts have two masts,
carrying mainsail, }oresail and jib.
The sails, rigging and rnnning gear
Gre almost Identical with chose COM
mon On boats and small yachts, the
rpread Of canvas being about the sane
sa on racing boats OF equal lBngth.
local fishermen FORM the crew, the
cutters being manned By two and the
scLooners by three men.
When 6. sand yacht is ready for q
cruise, with NIL sail SET and her com.
plexnent OF passengers aboard, the
steersmHn takes his place ut the helm,
while his mate gives the craft start
by placing his back to the front axle
and pressing against the sand With his
feet, When he feels that she is fairly
under weigh he rlial|s niubly on
board and seats himself or stands near
The mast. his duty being to attend to
ti,e iib sheet and keep sharp lookout
ahead. whi!o the helH,synan direct
the ccurss and looks after the mxin
sheet.
Ii there Is g. good breeze the yacht
Foon acquires considerable velocity,
which is liable, however, to continual
yaciation, according to the force of tire
wind aud the state OF the sand. ii
pne, sime, with fresh breeze and firm,
smoo,h bottom, she may 5e gliding
slong a. perhaps a rate ef twenty
miles an lssser directly afterwarl =
eali in the wind and soft OK rough sand
may reduce che speed to ssven or eigh!
neiles. Regarding the max mum speeds
attained, tha &s]lcrm,en tell sozae pretty
stiff yarns.
We have heard hundred miles An
hour sroksn OF quite seriously; but
there does Got seem to be any good
reason tor believing fhet under she
most favorable circumstances a velocitE
of thirty y~Gye o. forty miles an hour Is
eyer cSceedee'. Even this is All enor-
nous speed. ard iE is plain tina.
vehicles moving at any thing ap-
proaching such s. Gate srsust be handled
in a very careful naanseea. ito avoid acci-
dents. And here W" Esay say that The
addition Of powerful BRAKES to the
front wheels would he :sn improve,
men&. So fax ss we have noticed.
none OF The Yachts are as present fitted
with these eful .arl,&ances.
The sand ..#chts ara ;ahle to proceed
against the wind by "tacking'' or
a higzag ooa1gse- With a stiff
bxaeze thay s&iI very chose 10 the wind,
aaa have great advaaata tage vez their
saaters Of the sea ia nok making any
'aeeway," The operation OF putting
ebout'' must be done quickly. er theirs
will be y chance Of missing stays;''
sa4<s22. as % n1utSer Of fact, the ehange
fte,u one taok so Tbs, other is effected
so smoothly tlaat the unwary psssen'
ger ~ apt TO find hinsel& lett sitting in
ti.s sand as the yacht sails gracefully
sway IN hey new course.
Nov aud tl,eu patch Of sand, deeE
lay the gecading tide, saaay be
crossed, wI,en the motion becomes dis
e!greoahiy rough. Eut, on the whole,
he movement is smooth and pleasant
and, without doubS sand-yachting
provides ii healthful and interestins
means of seaside recreation. --Lo1ador
Exchange.
~! the Same Thing.
"What's the matter" said travel.
ng man to a friend whom he net on